A new study has uncovered a virus that researchers say spread from a shrew in eastern China.
Named " Langya virus ", the condition is part of a wider group of henipaviruses, which are rare - but emerging - infections that have been seen in the Asia-Pacific region. There have been 35 cases of the virus spotted, with researchers saying that the condition was first identified in a 53-year-old woman in 2018.
The 35 cases are not part of an ongoing outbreak, they were logged between December 2018 and May 2021. The condition has mostly affected farmers, and research has found that leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and impaired liver or kidney function may lead to a slightly higher risk based on those infected.
